Delta State on Red Alert over Monkeypox Spread

Deltans have been put on red alert over the likely spread of the dreaded viral outbreak of Monkeypox into the state , that has currently extended to Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Rivers , Ekiti, and Lagos States.

These states have recorded cases of infections.

Delta State Commissioner for Health , Dr. Nicholas Azinge said the possibility of the outbreak cannot be ruled out as patients are observed to have being crossing from Bayelsa to Delta state to get treatment at general hospitals in the state.

But Azinge allayed fears of a likely spread of the disease into the state, saying proactive measures have been taken to put it under control.

According to him, “The state ministry of Health, in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO) and The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) have sensitize the disease surveillance nurses and health officers in all the local government areas of the state, especially the border towns in the affected states as the diseases has now spread to Lagos, Akwa Ibom , Ekiti and Rivers States”.

Azinge said , “ Local government areas like Patani, Burutu and Bomadi are giving special attention because they are border towns to the affected states. Diseases outbreak and kit management materials have been repositioned towns in having boarder with Bayelsa state to forestall possible transportation of the diseases”.

Radio and television Jingles, according to him , have started, which is meant to inform the general public but not to alarm them .

The state response team have been put on red alert to respond to emergency that may occur in the state , especially in the core areas .

Arrangements have been concluded with National Diseases Center in Abuja for support and diagnosis can only be done in Darka, Senegal, in the whole of West Africa, adding that the state is going to maintain constant boarder control in all the three local government areas sharing boarder with the affected states.

Community health workers have also been trained to watch out for these disease, because a lot of patients are coming from Bayelsa into our general hospitals in the state but said the general public should not panic as measures have been taken to prevent the spread of the diseases but warned that if the public notice any of the symptoms, they should report to any health center., or Call these numbers 0703-712-0513, 0803-668-0784